Immigrant groups sue customs border agency

MANUEL VALDES, Associated Press

Immigrant advocacy groups have filed nearly a dozen complaints and lawsuits against U.S. Customs and Border Protection across the country, claiming federal agents and officers mistreated and discriminated illegal immigrants and U.S. citizens alike.

Washington, New York, Texas and Ohio are among the states where cases were filed. They allege officers were complicit in sending a 4-year-old American girl to Guatemala without giving her parents a chance to get her, detained a naturalized citizen helping farmworkers, kept women in cold detention cells and lied on an arrest report that led to a man's detention.

The cases involve complaints against the agency and lawsuits filed in federal court. Some seek monetary damages.

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection statement says it does not tolerate misconduct and can't comment on pending litigation.